Exosomal Transfer of MiR-500a-3p Confers Cisplatin Resistance and Stemness via Targeting FBXW7 in Gastric Cancer
Abstract Background Chemoresistance has become a major obstacle for gastric cancer (GC) therapy in clinical practice. MiRNAs have been reported to play critical roles in the development of chemoresistance in various tumors, including GC. However, the role of MiR-500a-3p within exosomes in cisplatin-resistant GC cells remains largely unknown. Materials and methods Cell proliferation and exosome delivery assays were performed using CCK-8 and transwell assays, respectively. CD63, CD81, β-tubulin, FBXW7, GAPDH, CD133, CD44 and SOX2 were detected by western blot and immunofluorescence assays. The expression levels of miR-500a-3p and FBXW7 mRNA were measured by real-time qRT-PCR. The interaction between miR-500a-3p and FBXW7 was predicted by bioinformatics software and confirmed by the dual-luciferase reporter. The mechanism of exosomal miR-500a-3p for cisplatin resistance was investigated in vitro and in vivo experiments. Results MiR-500a-3p level was upregulated in cisplatin-resistant GC cells and its downregulation enhanced cisplatin sensitivity. Moreover, extracellular miR-500a-3p could be incorporated into exosomes and transmitted to sensitive cells, thus disseminating cisplatin resistance. Additionally, exosomal miR-500a-3p promoted cisplatin resistance via targeting FBXW7 in vitro and in vivo . Clinically, higher expression of miR-500a-3p in the plasma exosomes of GC patients is correlated with DDP resistance and thereby results in poor progression-free prognosis. Conclusion Our finding highlights the potential of exosomal miR-500a-3p as an alternative modality for the prediction and treatment of GC with chemoresistance, providing a novel avenue for the treatment of GC.